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Updated: Parolee charged in Lancaster house party double murder

by M. Dilworth • November 5, 2013

Paroled gang member Leo Jerome Johnson has been charged with shooting to death 33-year-old Nicky Packard and 22-year-old Michael Sewell Jr. Special circumstances are also alleged in the DA’s case, making Johnson eligible for the death penalty.
Paroled gang member Leo Jerome Johnson has been charged with shooting to death 33-year-old Nicky Packard and 22-year-old Michael Sewell Jr. Special circumstances are also alleged in the DA’s case, making Johnson eligible for the death penalty.

LANCASTER – A paroled gang member previously profiled on our “Most Wanted AV Parolees” list has been charged with murdering two men after a Lancaster house party in June.

Leo Jerome Johnson is charged with two counts of murder with a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, making the 28-year-old eligible for the death penalty, authorities said. The complaint also includes allegations that the offenses were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang and that Johnson personally and intentionally discharged a firearm, according to Shiara Dávila-Morales of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. Johnson was captured in New Mexico last month and is currently in county jail without bail.

The men were murdered on June 23, after a house party on Hanstead Avenue in Lancaster. (Photo by ED FROMMER)
The men were murdered on Sunday, June 23, 2013, after a house party on Hanstead Avenue in Lancaster. (Photo by ED FROMMER)

The charges stem from the shooting deaths of 33-year-old Nicky Packard and 22-year-old Michael Sewell Jr. Both were killed during the early morning hours of Sunday, June 23, after a house party in the 44800 Block of Hanstead Avenue in Lancaster.

During the party, an argument broke out between the suspect and the two victims, and then the suspect was seen leaving the party, homicide detectives said. Sewell and Packard left the party in a group and were congregating in front of a house down the street when the suspect returned around 4:30 a.m., homicide detectives said.

(L to R) Nicky Packard, 33, and Michael Sewell Jr., 22.
Nicky Packard, 33, and Michael Sewell Jr., 22.

The suspect produced a handgun and shot Packard three times and then shot Sewell once in the chest, homicide detectives said. Both victims died at the scene.

In the days following the shooting, homicide detectives sought the public’s help in finding the killer. In August, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $10,000 reward for help in solving the double murder.

“Tips started to come in and we followed up on those tips,” said Lt. Eddie Hernandez of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. “There were certain people that were party goers, and they gave us information and were willing to look at a photographic lineup. They picked him out and that’s how he [Johnson] was identified.”

At the time of the incident, Johnson was on parole for second-degree robbery. He was convicted of using a handgun to rob a taco stand and striking an employee in the face with the gun, according to local parole officials. Johnson absconded from parole supervision some time this year, and he was profiled in the local media in August as an “extremely dangerous” gang member with an “extensive criminal history that includes battery, assault with a deadly weapon, and robbery.”

As homicide detectives were building the double-murder case against Johnson, they caught a break in October when the at-large parolee was spotted in New Mexico.

“He was stopped by a New Mexico police officer, and during the contact, they discovered that he had  a parole hold from California,” Hernandez said.  “He was arrested and then we were contacted, and subsequently he was extradited back to California.”

Inmate records show Johnson was booked into county jail on October 17. Johnson appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom on Monday (Nov. 4)  and was sentenced to 16 months in state prison for violating his parole, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. He is expected to be arraigned on the new charges this week.

Homicide investigators have identified two tipsters who may qualify for the county’s $10,000 reward for giving information deemed instrumental to the case. The names have been forwarded to Supervisor Michael Antonovich’s office for review, Hernandez said.

Johnson remains jailed without bail.

UPDATED 12/4/13: Leo Johnson appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom today for a scheduled arraignment, but that arraignment was postponed to Dec. 11, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.

UPDATED 12/11/13: Leo Johnson was scheduled to be arraigned today in an Antelope Valley courtroom, but the arraignment has been delayed again, this time until Jan. 30, 2014. We will continue to follow this story.

Previously related stories:

Men shot and killed after party in Lancaster

Public help sought in double murder investigation

$10K reward offered in Lancaster double murder

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

25 comments for "Updated: Parolee charged in Lancaster house party double murder"

  1. crystal says

    November 21, 2013 at 9:43 pm

    IDGAF BOUT NONE OF YAW COMMENTS NOBDY RELLY NO MY CUZIN FOR YHU [removed] TO DOWN TALK HIM…its crzy when a situation gets outta hand evry one is looking at the person who made it out im sure those two [removed] WERE A MENACE TO SOCIETY AND IF THEY PARENTS RAISED EM RIGHT THEN THEY WOODNT HAVE BEEN AT A PARTY LATE NITE GANG BANGN not saying they shood have lost there life over anything but JUSTICE but most of yaw need to lern who u point the finger at cuz YOU [removed] IS NOT JESUS SO KEEP UR JUDGEMENTS inside ur MIND cuz thats the only place they matter

    • As says

      November 22, 2013 at 9:23 am

      Oh wow. Your argument fails to prove any point and your spelling is just horrendous. Maybe your cousins parents should’ve raised him right because he was there too. You make no sense and trying to read your post gave me a headache. Good luck to you.

      • crystal says

        November 23, 2013 at 3:20 pm

        THESE YOUNG MEN KNOW WHAT THEY SIGN UP FOR SO THEY KNOW THE CONSEQUENCE AND AS FAR AS MA COUSIN IF HE REALLY DID KILL THEM HE TOO WOULD DESERVE THE CONSEQUENCE. INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT THE OUTCOME OF THE SITUATION LETS LOOK AT THE FIRE STARTER WHY DID THIS COME ABOUT…Y WOOD (2 YOUNG INNOCENT MEN) LOSE THERE LIFE THE SAME DAY STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER….they were being posers trying to betray something they wasnt cuz if it was the other way around they would be getting a reward from they big homie for “putting in work” .YOU HAVE TO LERN THE STREET CODES OF LIFE….them 2 young men did not cuz they would have been alert and able to protect themselves. PLEASE DONT JUDGE MY SKILL OFF MY HANDWRITING IM VERY EDUCATED its something the new GENERATION calls text writing [removed]

    • RIP says

      February 5, 2014 at 4:06 pm

      You are a damn fool…. We all know he did it, now he’s going to pay for it. He’s lucky he made it to jail.

  2. TinyFace4krmDaAce ! says

    November 20, 2013 at 11:34 am

    Westside 1-owe BOP SHOULDNT OF BEEN BANGIN BADKILLA [removed] BAD ND THEY DEAD ONES

  3. His Auntie says

    November 18, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    RIP to my nephew Micheal…I’ll never forget you. I’m glad they finally caught the person responsible for the ongoing hurt we are feeling. Not a day go by that you are not on my mind, thinking of your laugh, your attitude JUST YOU IN GENERAL. This man does not deserve to see another day,but he does deserves to have his freedom taken away, never again should you be able to hold your children (if any) kiss your mother, play with your cousins, tell your AUNTIE you love her. Never again, should you be the MAN of the family. You have NO idea what you took away from us…but now we will see what will soon be taken away from you…RIP to my nephew and his friend…

    • crystal says

      November 21, 2013 at 9:36 pm

      sorry for your loss BUT THEY GOT THE WRONG MANN THEY WAISTIN THEY TIME TRYING TO CONVICT MY FAM FOR SOMETHING HE DIDNT DO UR NEWPHEW WAS AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME

  4. wasted time says

    November 8, 2013 at 6:39 am

    Seen jerome as a young teen growing into a trouble
    Young man he has had anger management issues all through childhood without help ever sought for him. Even going to a Probation High School he could not be controlled. I surprised that he had not been convicted of this sorta of crime earlier on in life because it wasnt a question of if. But a question of when he would pull the trigger. Unfortuantly living thfe life he had growing up. No real positive male roll models to guide him he followed the males he looked up too. And never knew anything different. Now its too late to rehabilitate.

  5. breakinmyhouseBANGBANG says

    November 6, 2013 at 11:56 pm

    Good police work considering everyone at the party knew the murderer BUT DIDNT CARE UNTIL THEY WERE PAID.

  6. From Down Below says

    November 6, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    Good thing they caught this POS I hope he rots in a 10 x 10 box in prison..I blame California for releasing him in the first place..armed roberry really! this POS should have never been let out in the first place..you are to blame for these deaths California!

  7. justsaying says

    November 6, 2013 at 12:18 pm

    Reworded original …will see if this comment gets through and posts!
    Johnson was on parole for second-degree robbery using a gun. This is way we have these on-going problems. I’m sure he was let out early, not completing his FULL sentence. Had he remained locked up for the FULL time, these 2 young men may still be alive…
    No more breaks, stop with all the appeals…Tried for murder, if found guilty and sentenced to death. Then do it!! This goes for ALL death sentences.
    I still believe…1 appeal and then that’s that. Enforce the laws!!
    Hope the Packard, Sewell families get some justice and closure.
    So sorry for your loss, my heart and prayers go out to the families and friends.

    • NRA member says

      November 6, 2013 at 1:39 pm

      Unfortunately liberal democRATS of california don’t believe in what you believe.. They don’t believe in the enforcing of existing laws, but they like to create their own, new, “progressive” laws – legal marihuana, gay marriage, and taking away the rights from citizens, nothing else is going on in demcRATic California. I feel sorry for you, people, because I am moving to Texas!

  8. justsaying says

    November 6, 2013 at 11:30 am

    Johnson was on parole for second-degree robbery using a gun. This is way we have these on going problems. I’m sure he was let out early, not completing his FULL sentence. Had he remained locked up for the FULL time, these 2 young men may still be alive…
    No more breaks, stop with all the applies…Tried for murder, if found guilty and sentenced to death. Then do it!! This goes for ALL death sentences.
    I still believe…1 appeal and then put him on the table and that’s that. Enforce the laws!!
    Don’t tell me about the few innocents that would be put to death by “mistake” which I call collateral damage, besides, look at all the innocents that are killed in wars and they are still going on…Once that stops, then and only then, I may chance what I believe…
    Don’t see that happening in any of our lifetimes. justsaying!!

    Hope the Packard, Sewell families get some justice and closure. So sorry for your loss, prayers are with both families and friends.

    • justsaying says

      November 6, 2013 at 11:36 am

      should be….Stop all the appeals. oops!!:(

      • justsaying says

        November 6, 2013 at 12:23 pm

        This was part of original post…

        No more breaks, stop with all the applies………
        ……..Don’t tell me about the few innocents that would be put to death by “mistake” which I call collateral damage, besides, look at all the innocents that are killed in wars and they are still going on…Once that stops, then and only then, I may chance what I believe…
        Don’t see that happening in any of our lifetimes. justsaying!!

      • justsaying says

        November 6, 2013 at 12:40 pm

        Sorry !! Seems they Refused to show my feelings on the death penalty, etc. so I had to reword my comments.. see above

  9. Eye for an Eye says

    November 6, 2013 at 11:14 am

    Special circumstances, making him eligible for the death penalty, don’t waste hard working people tax dollars on this criminal, he had no regards for life and why should there be any for his, to gun down two innocent young men just starting to live life RIP Nicky and Michael God is good, I pray for the families.

  10. Bob says

    November 6, 2013 at 7:59 am

    Knowing how our LIBERAL justice system is,,, he’ll be out in ten-no joke!

  11. u still my boys says

    November 6, 2013 at 6:38 am

    My both my soldiers rest in peace now I love y’all and keep the party going til I get there GOD got u now much love n respect to the families I love y’all 2 fam [nephew]

  12. As says

    November 6, 2013 at 1:53 am

    I’m so glad this disgrace was caught. I pray that this helps the families bring some sort of closure.

  13. Bad influence says

    November 5, 2013 at 8:07 pm

    He should be killed instead of rotting in jail #Bad

  14. Saddened says

    November 5, 2013 at 7:19 pm

    I knew Nicky from High School and he was such a sweet guy. He was always smiling and joking around and was someone who stood out in life. I’m so sad that he was taken away so soon but glad that his killer will now be held responsible. I sincerely hope and pray Nicky’s family can be granted some peace and comfort knowing that justice will be served.

  15. Chris says

    November 5, 2013 at 6:14 pm

    I am glad that he is off the streets.

  16. NRA member says

    November 5, 2013 at 4:46 pm

    Finally this moron was captured.. Justice will be served!

  17. Dennetta King says

    November 5, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    Thank God they got him!!! Nicky was my lil cousin. Don’t have much Faith in the legal system, but I have Faith in my God that justice will be done.

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